On the third sublevel of Sandstone Base, there was a Meditation Room reserved for High-Tier Martial Artists.
The room wasn’t large, but its walls and floor were inscribed with energy-channeling runes that could effectively block outside detection and provide a stable environment for Cultivation.
Xu Wuyi, Lei Hong, and Ye Guanlan were here now.
They had been lying low for seven whole days.
During those seven days, Xu Wuyi hadn’t taken a single step out of the Meditation Room.
All his meals were delivered by designated personnel, and all communications were handled personally by Zhao Rui. The official story released to the public was that Xu Wuyi needed to enter seclusion to recover from overexertion and would be unable to fight in the short term.
Meanwhile, on the battlefields of the Flowing Sand Star Realm, the situation was quietly changing.
After the initial panic following their disastrous defeat at Wind-Carved Valley, the Feathered People Civilization gradually discovered that the fearsome human "Flame Martial Artist" seemed to have vanished.
At first, they were cautious, sending out only small squads for probing reconnaissance.
But for three consecutive days, the Federation didn’t use that wide-area Flame attack, resisting only with conventional tactics.
The Feathered People gradually grew bolder.
On the fourth day, a two-hundred-strong unit of Feathered People raided a small Federation outpost in Sector B-7.
The outpost was defended by only fifty soldiers. Although they fought to the death, they were overwhelmed by the Feathered People’s air superiority and were completely wiped out in just half an hour.
This was the first time the Feathered People had recaptured a strongpoint since the battle of Wind-Carved Valley.
When news reached the Feathered People’s main base, the atmosphere in the command hall grew noticeably more lively.
"It seems that Xu Wuyi has really left," the middle-aged Priest said, his voice filled with suppressed excitement as he pointed to the newly recaptured strongpoint on the sand table. "Otherwise, the Federation wouldn’t have let us take this outpost."
The old Priest sat in the head seat, his jet-black eyes fixed on the sand table, and did not respond immediately.
’Something felt wrong.’
’The combat power Xu Wuyi displayed at Wind-Carved Valley was too terrifying. Why would the Federation transfer such a Martial Artist away so easily? And at the exact moment when the Feathered People were in full retreat, with no capacity to counterattack?’
’It was too much of a coincidence.’
"Continue to observe," the old Priest finally said. "Have our troops take two more strongpoints. If the Federation still doesn’t react, then it will prove he’s really gone."
The order was passed down.
On the fifth day, the Feathered People simultaneously attacked two forward outposts, C-3 and D-11.
This time, the Federation’s resistance was fiercer. Both outposts held out for nearly two hours and inflicted almost a hundred casualties on the Feathered People.
But in the end, the outposts still fell.
There was no Flame, none of that despair-inducing area-clearing attack.
The Federation only engaged in conventional warfare. Their defense was tenacious, but they showed no unexpected counter-measures.
Now, even the old Priest was starting to have doubts.
’Could Xu Wuyi really be gone?’
"High Priest, we can’t hesitate any longer!" a young Priest stood up and said urgently. "If Xu Wuyi is truly gone, this is our best chance to reclaim our lost territory! We must avenge Wind-Carved Valley!"
Around the round table, the other Priests nodded in agreement.
Two consecutive victories had begun to restore their confidence.
The old Priest was silent for a full minute before finally speaking slowly, "Relay my orders. All units are to begin a limited counteroffensive. But remember, do not advance too deeply. The primary objective is to recapture the outer strongpoints."
"Yes, sir!"
The Feathered People’s counteroffensive had officially begun.
Sandstone Base, in the Meditation Room.
Xu Wuyi sat cross-legged in the center of the room, his eyes gently closed, his breathing long and steady.
Leaning against a wall, Lei Hong was carefully honing the blade of his heavy War Axe with a whetstone. The rhythmic SCRAPE SCRAPE echoed through the quiet room.
Ye Guanlan stood before a light screen on the wall, which displayed a real-time tactical map of the Flowing Sand Star Realm. The blue area representing territory controlled by the Feathered People was expanding outward at a slow but steady pace.
"Lost one outpost on the third day, two on the fifth," Lei Hong said without looking up. "These Feathered People are getting awfully bold."
Ye Guanlan’s gaze didn’t leave the light screen. "They’re testing us. Using the strongpoints as bait to see if we’ll bite."
"So we’re just going to watch?" Lei Hong paused his sharpening. "If this keeps up, they’re going to take back all the ground we just fought for."
"They can’t take it back." Xu Wuyi suddenly opened his eyes, his dark golden pupils glowing faintly in the dim light. "As long as I’m here, anything they take is just being held in temporary custody."
His tone was calm, yet filled with unquestionable certainty.
Lei Hong grinned. "Now that’s what I like to hear! We wait until they think we’re really done for, when they’re at their most arrogant, and then we smack them back down. That’s what I call satisfying!"
Ye Guanlan turned to Xu Wuyi. "How’s your condition?"
"I can strike at any time." Xu Wuyi stood up and stretched his neck. "The Feathered People are serving up a prime opportunity for live practice. I don’t intend to waste it."
Although he hadn’t gone out to fight for the past seven days, he had spent every day in the Meditation Room repeatedly practicing his Martial Arts. Combined with the Enlightenment mechanic of the Martial Arts Diligence Record, his efficiency was no less than it would have been in actual combat.
Ye Guanlan nodded, his gaze returning to the light screen.
Now, it was a test of patience.
「On the seventh day.」
The Feathered People had already recaptured six outer strongpoints, their front line advancing thirty kilometers.
The Federation’s resistance remained tenacious, but still, no unconventional tactics appeared. The morale of the Feathered People’s troops soared. Some units even began to cross the original front lines on their own initiative, pushing deep into the Federation Control Zone to harass them.
Inside the command hall at Sandstone Base, the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.
Several military officers stared at the retreating red markers on the sand table, their expressions grim.
"Colonel Zhao, if this goes on, we’ll lose the advantage we fought so hard to win," a lieutenant colonel couldn’t help but speak up. "When exactly is Martial Artist Xu going to make his move?"
Zhao Rui stood before the sand table, his hands clasped behind his back, his face unreadable.
"He will strike when the time is right."
"But—"
"No buts," Zhao Rui cut him off, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable authority. "This is command’s strategy. The more wildly they celebrate now, the harder they’ll fall later."
His gaze fell upon the dark blue marker on the sand table, deep within the Feathered People’s territory, indicating their main base.
’Enough bait has been scattered.’
’It’s time to pull in the net.’
Feathered People Main Base, Command Hall.
The old Priest watched the blue territory expanding on the sand table, but the unease in his heart, far from disappearing, was growing stronger.
’It was going too smoothly.’
’Abnormally so.’
’The Federation’s reaction was completely unlike that of an army that had just won a major victory and should be high on morale. They seemed to be deliberately showing weakness, deliberately retreating, deliberately... luring them in.’
"High Priest, the ’Wind Shadow Hunters’ are in position."
The young Priest’s voice broke his train of thought.
The old Priest looked up and saw that five figures had appeared at the side entrance to the command hall at some point.
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